Frequently Asked Questions About Online Casinos

Frequently asked questions

Online casinos are growing in popularity around the United Kingdom, but there are still a lot of questions about playing online. Here's your chance to get answers to those questions.

Can I Play Any Time online?

You're welcome to play at online casinos any time that you'd like as long as you have an Internet connection. That means if you would like to play at 3AM on a Tuesday, you are more than welcome to do so and there will likely be some other players doing the same thing as you. That's one of the biggest benefits of playing online.

Will I Make A Profit From Gambling?

Though there are some players that generate a profit from gambling through large jackpot wins or by mastering skill-based games like poker, this is not common and no player should expect to profit through gambling. Instead players should prepare to lose their money and treat any wins that occur as unexpected rewards.

Will I Get A Bonus From The Casino?

Casino bonuses are given out to new players all the time, but before you assume that you will be receiving a bonus from a casino, it's important to understand any rules and restrictions around those bonuses. Some bonuses are given out after betting enough money for instance, and others are only made available to players that deposit a certain amount of money.

How Do I Find A Bonus To Suit My Playing Habits?

The best way to find the right bonus for you is to play at a few casinos to learn how you really play instead of assuming how you will play at a casino. After you know your real-world habits, you can look at online casinos to see what bonuses are available and read through their terms and conditions. After learning everything about several different bonuses you can decide which ones make the most sense for you. If you gamble regularly and play many hands or games then a match bonus might be for you. If you play infrequently a free or no deposit bonus might be easier to obtain.

Are There Games I Can Play For Free?

There are casinos that offer games that work with "play money" that you are free to play as much as you would like. Often you don't have to sign up for an account at all and you can enjoy these games or use them to get used to a new game for the first time.

There are other games that you can play for free for real money. Some casinos offer free draws into poker games, and there are often free weekly bingo games that you can get into. You could also take advantage of a free casino bonus, or a no deposit casino bonus to play games for free for a short period.

Does It Cost Anything To Make A Deposit Or Withdrawal?

There are some deposit and withdrawal methods that are free to use, but others do come with a small processing fee. It's important to read over the terms of the casino that you are playing at to learn if there are any fees that you should be aware of. Just know that they are possible and quite likely with some payment methods such as cheques.

What's The Smallest Deposit I Can Make To Get Playing?

Some casinos will allow you to begin playing without making a deposit at all. These no-deposit bonuses give you as much as £5 or £10 to try playing at the casino with.

How Can I Access My Winnings?

Accessing your winning at a casino is simple to do. You just visit your casino account and request a withdrawal from the account. As long as you've met all the requirements for a withdrawal you can take that money out and use it how you would like. There are sometimes minimum bet amounts, or minimum account balances for certain withdrawal methods that you should be aware of.

Do I Have To Have A Credit Card To Play?

No, there are plenty of deposit and withdrawal methods available that will allow you to play at an online casino without having a credit card at all. You could buy a prepaid card with cash to complete your initial deposit and then receive a cheque for your winnings later on without ever having a credit card.

How Soon Can I Start Playing?

With some casinos you can start playing as soon as a few minutes, or the time that it takes you to fill out an account. When you are playing at a casino that requires an initial deposit the time it takes to get going depends on how fast the deposit goes through, and that could be anywhere from minutes, to hours or days.

What Protection Is There For My Money?

A great deal of protection is available at online casinos for your money. Encryption is used to protect valuable financial information and most casinos rely on banks and other secure financial institutions to secure all the funds they hold for players.

Will Casinos Keep My Information Secure?

Casinos value customer security and have many standards in place to keep confidential information safe. SSL encryption makes it very difficult for anyone other than casinos and financial institutions to see delicate information. Many casinos also remove valuable customer data after using it for verification purposes to provide even more security to customers.

Are New Casinos Safe To Try Out?

Not every new casino is safe to try out, but as long as you approach a new establishment with caution you should be okay. New casinos often rely on very secure software that's been in use for years. Check the software provider and ensure that a casino is licensed somewhere reputable like Malta, the UK itself, or Gibraltar. Visit our blacklisted casino page for a list of sites you should NOT be playing at.

How Can I Spot A Rogue Casino?

It's often more difficult than you think to spot a rogue casino, but there are some common things to look out for. Casinos that make big promises or give out massive bonuses to new players without many requirements attached to them should be approached warily. If you're ever unsure of a company research it a bit before doing business with it. A few quick searches will usually turn up information about a new casino, or a casino practicing illegally and most safe casinos are well-known.

Is It Possible To Cheat At Online Casinos?

Casino games are designed using Random Number Generators that make it very difficult for either the casino or players to cheat. The games occur randomly and there is no way to give yourself a real advantage at a casino without hacking into a casino server and breaking the law, and even then it would be very difficult to cheat the system.

Are The Games Fixed?

Online casino games are not fixed by any means. They all rely on Random Number Generator systems to keep the outcome of the games completely random. Third party services check these generators to ensure that they're operating properly and all the information from these checks is regularly reviewed by the authority that provides licensing to the casino. So there is no way for games to be fixed, but casinos do have an edge that allows them to be profitable.

Am I Better Off Playing The No-Download Games?

There isn't much of a difference between the no-download casino games and the games that you play through dedicated software. They both rely on the same systems to predict who wins and loses and the option you decide on is simply determined by personal preference, nothing else.

Do Certain Games Give Me A Better Chance Of Winning?

Absolutely, there are some games that have a much smaller casino edge than others. The edge is the percentage chance of how much more often the casino will win than the player. Table games like blackjack and roulette have a very small edge for players that understand perfect strategy, and low-skill games like slots or bingo have a higher edge. That means if you play one of those table games you'll win more often and lose money less often.

Are Any Casinos Suitable For Beginners?

Most only casinos are suitable for beginners. Many allow players to play with "play money" before actually using their real money on games, giving them the chance to learn the game completely. In this way online casinos are actually better for new players than brick and mortar casinos are.

How Old Do I Need To Be To Play At An Online Casino?

In the UK you must be 18 years of age in order to play at an online casino. This age is not universal though, and the legal age could change if you play in a different country.

What's Gambling's Legal Status In The UK?

Gambling online and offline is perfectly legal in the UK. That means that you can feel free to play at any of the approved casinos without fear of any legal action.

I Know Someone Who Might Have A Gambling Problem, Can They Get Help?

Help is readily available to UK players from GamCare. Here's the home website for the organisation and more information about counselling can be obtained here for serious cases.